REPORT FOR 1913. 



427 



quoted by Pritzel. It appeared in 2 octavo volumes, a second (teste 

 Martyn) in 3 volumes in 1741, a third in 1748, the fourth, which is 

 referred to above, in 3 volumes in 1754. This being published 

 after the Species Plantarum of 1753, is available for generic citation. 

 The fifth in 1763 was a quarto volume, and so too was the sixth edition 

 of 1771, being abridged from the 1768 binomial edition, shortly before 

 his death in December of that j^ear. It also contains some articles 

 omitted from the folio edition. A ninth edition folio in 2 volumes, 

 1797 and 1804, was published after Miller's death by Thomas Martyn, 

 Prof, of Botany at Cambridge There are also editions or copies dated 

 1807, in 4 volumes. Scattered references are made in continental 

 works to the edition of 1768, and in the Index Kewensis also to the 

 editions of 1752 and 1759, although perhaps not always consistently. 

 Since the starting point for both genera and species is 1753, the folio 

 edition of Miller's Dictionary 1752, is invalid. The Abridgement of 

 1754, which is a valid publication, is, so far as I am aware, not any- 

 where referred to, but as will be seen, it is the earliest publication of 

 a large number of genera, some, it is true, now sunk in synonymy, but 

 others available, and in a large number of cases Miller as an author- 

 ity must replace Adanson, Moench, and other subsequent authors. 

 Linnaeus undoubtedly in the Species Plantarum omitted, or wrongly 

 united many genera which Tournefort, who in so many cases, showed 

 that he had clearer ideas of generic distinctions, had properly estab- 

 lished, and Miller and Sir John Hill were followers of Tournefort. 

 It must also be borne in mind that this work of Miller's was an 

 important botanical contribution, and in matter, printing, and paper, 

 contrasts very favourably with the Species Plantarum itself. The 

 genera in Miller's work are properly defined under definite names and 

 with correct citation from earlier authors, so that they cannot be 

 ignored. We may take two at random. Alyssoides. The characters 

 are : It hath a Flower in the form of a cross, consisting of four leaves, 

 out of whose Flower-cup rises the Pointal, which afterwards becomes 

 an elliptical thick Fruit, divided into two Cells by an intermediate 

 Partition, which is paralell to the demi-elliptical turgid Valves, and 

 filled with round flat Seeds, having Borders round them. The species 

 are : — 1, Alyssoides fruticosum, leucoii folio viridi. Tourn. 218 Shrubby 

 Alyssoides, with a green Stockgilly flower-leaf. Then follow the 

 three other species with a more popular description of each. 2, 

 Michrysum, Eternal-flower. The characters are : The Disk of the flower 



